The NBA is Investing in Startups 🏀
A tale of two wine e-commerce companies (one is bankrupt, one is bought by LVMH), and booming pet business.
Good morning.
I got some questions last week:
“I have a question for you! As someone with so much DTC/consumer experience (and someone with discerning taste!), what did you buy during Black Friday and/or what are you wanting for the holidays?”
I only bought a pink NuFace. I was debating buying it for weeks and then my friend Marta posted about it and I was sold. There’s nothing that’s really calling me for “things” this season. I have a lot of weddings next year and I was laid off (we know Emily) so I’m really trying to save money.
“Why do food influencers make more than restaurant cooks? What does this say about the food we pay for?”
Let’s see, let’s see, let’s see…. first, I don’t think this is always the case. But the first answer is that restaurants are capped at the number of people they can serve a day. Creators can cater to million of people in one 30-second video. Those views turn into cash. The systems in which restaurant workers and social media creators work are completely different, the content (food) just happens to be the same. I think a big part of influencer cash flow is also brand deals, which is more akin to an actor or model than a restaurant cook who is somewhat invisible to the world. There’s a bigger story about this to be written, if it hasn’t already, but good question.
“Is there a difference between following trends and a lack of personal style?”
Following a trend still uses a decent amount of cerebral power. You have to identify the trend, decipher how it would fit into your life (whether that’s a purchase, or a show to watch, or an app to use, or a recipe to make), and decide if you want to follow it or not. A lack of personal style is brainless or lazy to me… a blind decision without curiosity or discern behind it. Personal style is one of the most exciting parts of being alive! Deciding your unique way of moving through the world, a proof of your existence. I don’t know why that would fall off of some people’s priority lists.
Some news:
Low-proof BODY vodka partners with Next Century Spirits to expand distribution. Just two months after launching, BODY is the first Next Century Spirits third party customer to become integrated into their brand portfolio, Next Century Brand Group. “I’d already been helping grow accounts and wanted to get into the next level – the next level is the piece of the pie,” founder Jilly Hendrix told Forbes this weekend. Prior to starting BODY, Hendrix invested in Great Jones, Ghia, and Fanhouse.